Microsoft Reveals Surface Book 2 With Powerful 8th-gen Intel Processors

Roland Moore-Colyer,

Nvidia’s 10 series Pascal GPUs also make up the high-end spec of Microsoft’s hybrid machines

Microsoft has revealed the Surface Book 2, the predecessor to its high-end Surface Book 2-in-1 hybrid. 

The Surface Book 2 offers not only a refreshed specification and tweaked design, but also a 15 inch model to go alongside the in 13.5 inch unit. 

Having not had a proper refresh since its debut in 2015, the Surface Book has been getting a little long in the tooth. But at first glance its predecessor looks almost identical. 

However, the Surface Book 2 has been given a nip and a tuck to slim down its bezels, streamline its keyboard deck and add a much desired USB Type-C port. 

The high resolution PixelSense display remains unchanged, only with the 15 inch model sporting a 4K resolution.  The tread-like hinge is also has been strengthened but has not gained any girth as a result. 

Under the hood new cooling has allowed the 13.5 inch model to opt for a fanless design, while the 15 inch model still uses fans due to its powerful specification. 

Surface Book 2Powerful processors

Like its predecessor, both models of the Surface Book 2 have 8GB and 16GB of RAM options, and storage that can be configured from 256GB to 1TB of SSD. 

But it’s with the processors and graphics where the real specification boost can be seen.

The entry-level 13.5 inch Surface Book 2 has a dual-core seventh-generation Intel Kay Lake Core i5-7300U processor with built-in graphics acceleration; a minor upgrade over its predecessor.

However, move up the specification list and the 13.5 inch model can be customised with a eighth-generation quad-core Core i7-8650U processor, partnered with Nvidia’s 2GB GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card. 

The 15 inch model is a powerhouse through-and-through with the Core i7-8650U processor and a GeForce GTX 1060 with 6GB of on-board memory. 

While the entry-level Surface Book 2 should be a capable office workhorse, the higher-end 13.5 inch and 15 inch models are for power users, such as people working with CAD software or carrying out video editing and rendering. 

This performance comes at quite a price; the base Surface Book 2 will cost £1,499, some £50 over its predecessor and top-out at a hefty £2,999. 

While the 15-inch Surface Book 2 has not been slated for a UK release on the Microsoft Store, in the US is will cost buyers back $2,499 for the starting unit with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage, with $3,299 getting customers the model with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. 

Pre-orders go live November 9 with the Surface Book 2 expected to ship shortly after. 

Time will tell if the UK’s Department for Education decides to upgrade from its Surface Books to the Surface Book 2. 

Take our Windows 10 quiz here!